The Spanish verb 'pechar' meaning 'to pay tribute' comes from the Spanish noun 'pecho' meaning 'tribute' or 'tax', combined with the verbal suffix '-ar'. The noun 'pecho' traces back to the Latin word 'pactum' meaning 'agreement' or 'contract', which itself derives from the Latin verb 'pangere' meaning 'to fix' or 'fasten'. The semantic evolution from the concept of fixing or fastening (pangere) to an agreement (pactum) and finally to a tax obligation (pecho/pechar) reflects how binding agreements became associated with financial obligations in medieval Spain.

A related and more common Spanish word is 'pacto' (agreement, pact), which comes from the same Latin root 'pactum'. While 'pacto' retained the original meaning of an agreement or contract, 'pechar' specialized to specifically refer to paying tributes or taxes.

Several English words share the same Latin ancestry through 'pangere' and 'pactum', including 'pact', 'compact', and 'impact'. The word 'pact' most directly relates to the original Latin meaning of an agreement or contract. 'Compact' (meaning pressed together or agreed upon) and 'impact' (to strike or influence) both reflect the original Latin sense of fixing or fastening.